Maruti Baleno to soon get a Sports variant

The Maruti Baleno hatchback is soon going to get a Sports variant in the Indonesian market; just like India has the Baleno RS.

Suzuki has recently introduced the Ertiga Sport in the Indonesian market. This special edition of the MPV gets a number of cosmetic add-ons to make it look sportier than the standard version. However, there are no mechanical changes whatsoever.

Based on similar lines, the Japanese automaker is now going to introduce a Sport variant for the Baleno hatchback as well. This cosmetically altered version of the premium hatchback will be available only in the Indonesian markets.

Just like the Ertiga MPV, the changes to the Suzuki Baleno Sport will include an all-black paint scheme on the outside. Blacked out headlamps and tail-lamps. Bumpers modified to look sporty. A hunkered down stance and side-skirts. In addition to this, there will be a new set of all-black alloy wheels on offer as well.

Inside, the Suzuki Baleno Sport is going to get an all-black dashboard. The seats are likely to get a similar treatment along with contrasting red-stitching. In terms of features, this Sports version will continue to get a similar list as is the standard model.

Since the Suzuki Baleno Sport is a purely cosmetic update, there will be no mechanical changes on offer. In the Indonesian market, the Maruti Baleno comes with a 1.4-litre petrol engine. This unit is capable of producing 92 BHP of power. It is paired to a 5-speed manual gearbox. There is a 4-speed torque converter unit on offer as well.

Back at home, the Maruti Baleno has just recieved its mid-life facelift. And so is its sportier RS version. The Suzuki Baleno Sport is unlikely to come to India because of the latter. The standard Baleno in India comes with a 1.2-litre, 82 BHP petrol engine. While the Baleno RS comes with a 1.0-litre, 3-cylinder turbocharged engine good for 101 BHP of power.